A doublet of Ciro Immobile and a bit of Marco Parolo came a little closer this Tuesday to Lazio to the round of 16 Champions League after winning (3-1) the bottom Zenith at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
The set of Simone inzaghi, who remains second in Group F, will fight for the leadership next day (December 2) against the Borussia in Dortmund, which continues to lead in one point to those of ‘laziales’, while the Russians will play a place for the Europa League before a Witches that still has some options to get into the next round as it will close the group stage against Lazio himself.
The Roman squad came out ready to get the match back on track as soon as possible and it only took three minutes to open the scoreboard, when Ciro Immobile signed a wonderful goal with a tremendous shot from the edge that nailed the squad after an assist from Lucas Leiva.
The pressure of the Romans was absolute and Luis Alberto he was about to score the 2-0, in minute 19, with a shot from outside the area, to which he responded Kerzhakov with a great intervention. However, at 22 ', the goalkeeper of the Zenith He couldn't do anything to block a low right from the captain Marco Parolo.
The goal woke up the Russian team, who cut distances just three minutes later (25 ') with a kick at the half turn inside the forward's area. Dzyuba, after an assist from Rakitskiy, which was unattainable for Pepe Reina.
The set of Simone inzaghi looked for a new goal that Joaquin Correa grazed with a shot that derailed Kerzhakov. In the first half discount, the inspired Russian goalkeeper once again showed off on another great occasion for the locals through Lazzari.
In the resumption, Lazio scored again at the first exchange. Wilmar Barrios, who had a yellow card, played it by committing a penalty on the incisor Immobile, which he touched just enough to knock him down inside the area. The Italian forward himself transformed the maximum penalty with a perfect execution that made the score go up 3-1.
When the hour of the game was fulfilled, Simone Inzaghi and Sergei Semak they moved their respective benches with the intention of refreshing their teams in a meeting with a high pace of play and alternating possession of the ball. The Zenith increased his pressure and tried to get into the game with some shy shots that he blocked without problems Pepe Reina.
In the final moments of the contest, Vedat Muriqi, who had just replaced Immobile, failed to complete a pass from Luis Alberto as he ran into the overtone Kerzhakov, which prevented his team from conceding a win in Rome. The last clear chance was from Zenit, with a shot from Driussi that he caught very well Pepe Reina.
3- Lazio: Queen; Patric (Luiz Felipe, 60 '), Hoedt, Acerbi, Lazzari (Fares, 68'), Parolo (Akpa Akpro, 60 '), Lucas Leiva (Cataldi, 68'), Luis Alberto, Marusic; Immobile (Muriqi, 81 ') and Correa.
1- Zenit: Kerzhakov; Lovren, Rakitskiy, Zhirkov (Azmoun, 74 '), Kuzyaev, Erokhin (Shamkin, 74'), Wilmar Barrios (Driussi, 59 '), Douglas Santos (Sutormin, 37'), Mostovoy (Musaev, 59 '); Malcom; and Dzyuba.
Goals: 1-0, Immobile (3 '); 2-0, Parolo (22 '); 2-1, Dzyuba (25 '); 3-1, Immobile, pen. (55 ’)
Referee: Michael Oliver (England). He showed a yellow card to Wilmar Barrios (38 '), Lovren (48'), Rakitskiy (76) and Acerbi (89 ')
Incidents: Match of the fourth day of Group F of the Champions League, played without an audience at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome